Compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins

ABSTRACT

The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins is similar to a conventional compact tube and plate condenser, but with the addition of thermally conductive cooling fins for enhancing heat transfer with the external environment. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins includes a serpentine tube mounted on a thermally conductive plate. The serpentine tube has opposed inlet and outlet ports for respectively receiving and outputting a refrigerant fluid. The compact tube and plate condenser is folded in a substantially spiral configuration. Additionally, a plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins are mounted on the thermally conductive plate. The serpentine tube, which is preferably formed from a thermally conductive material, the thermally conductive plate, and the additional thermally conductive cooling fins each effect heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid and the external environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to heat exchangers, and particularly to a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins for refrigerators, chillers and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

Tube and plate condensers are relatively common types of heat exchangers used in refrigerators, chillers and the like. FIG. 2 illustrates a typical tube and plate condenser 100, which includes a serpentine tube 112 or coil mounted on a thermally conductive plate 114. The serpentine tube 112 has opposed inlet and outlet ports 116, 118 for respectively receiving and outputting a refrigerant fluid. The serpentine tube 112 and the thermally conductive plate 114 effect heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid, which passes through the serpentine tube 112 (driven by an external pump or the like), and the external environment. In a typical refrigerator, the refrigerant fluid has been heated prior to injection into the condenser 100 and may be in gaseous form. Heat exchange with the environment causes the refrigerant fluid to cool inside the tube 112, thus condensing the refrigerant into a cooled liquid, which is then delivered back to the refrigeration unit through outlet port 118.

Since the heat exchange is dependent on the path length of the refrigerant fluid flowing through the tube, the tube is typically arranged in a serpentine or coiled configuration, as in the example of FIG. 2. Although increasing the path length of the refrigerant fluid's flow also increases the heat exchange, a corresponding increase in the size of plate 114 and tube 112 may be costly in terms of a corresponding increase in the size of the refrigerator, chiller or the like. Thus, in situations in which effective heat exchange is desired but in which the condenser size must also be considered, such as in household refrigerators, compact chillers and the like, compact tube and plate condensers are often utilized. FIG. 3 illustrates a typical compact tube and plate condenser 200. The compact tube and plate condenser 200 operates in a similar manner to the tube and plate condenser 100, including a serpentine tube 212 or coil mounted on a thermally conductive plate 214. The serpentine tube 212 has opposed inlet and outlet ports 216, 218 for respectively receiving and outputting the refrigerant fluid. In order to increase the path length of the refrigerant fluid's flow without greatly increasing the overall size of the condenser, the tube and plate condenser 200 is folded in a substantially spiral configuration, as shown. Thus, the overall lengths of tube 212 and plate 214 are greatly increased, but without increasing the overall width.

Although the spiral configuration of the compact tube and plate condenser 200 allows for an increase of heat exchange with the environment without necessitating an increased width (compared with the conventional planar condenser 100), the folded configuration can cause heat to build up in the interior of the spiral portion, often requiring the addition of cooling fans and the like to add additional convective heat transfer within the interior of the condenser. It would obviously be desirable to be able to enhance the effectiveness of the heat transfer from the condenser to the environment without requiring the addition of additional, energy intensive equipment.

Thus, a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins addressing the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins is similar to a conventional compact tube and plate condenser, but with additional thermally conductive cooling fins for enhancing heat transfer with the external environment. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins includes a serpentine tube mounted on a thermally conductive plate. The serpentine tube has opposed inlet and outlet ports for respectively receiving and outputting a refrigerant fluid. The compact tube and plate condenser is folded in a substantially spiral configuration. Additionally, a plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins are mounted on the thermally conductive plate. The serpentine tube, which is preferably formed from a thermally conductive material, the thermally conductive plate, and the additional thermally conductive cooling fins each effect heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid and the external environment.

The thermally conductive cooling fins may be mounted on the thermally conductive plate between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube. Further, the plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins may be divided into a plurality of linearly extending rows of the thermally conductive cooling fins. Alternatively, the thermally conductive cooling fins may be arranged on the thermally conductive plate in an alternating manner.

As a further alternative, a plurality of slots may be formed between at least a portion of adjacent ones of the thermally conductive cooling fins. As an additional alternative, each of the thermally conductive cooling fins may be mounted on the thermally conductive plate to extend between, and at least partially cover, adjacent segments of the serpentine tube. Further, the thermally conductive cooling fins may alternatively be in thermal communication with both the serpentine tube and the thermally conducting plate.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a conventional prior art tube and plate condenser.

FIG. 3 shows a conventional prior art compact tube and plate condenser.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a further alternative embodiment of a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of still another alternative embodiment of a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins 10, shown in FIG. 1, is similar to a conventional compact tube and plate condenser, such as condenser 200 of FIG. 3, as described above, but with additional thermally conductive cooling fins for enhancing heat transfer with the external environment. As shown in FIG. 1, the compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins 10 includes a serpentine tube 12 mounted on a thermally conductive plate 14, similar to the prior art condensers 100, 200 described above. The serpentine tube 12 has opposed inlet and outlet ports 16, 18 for respectively receiving and outputting a refrigerant fluid. Similar to condenser 200, the compact tube and plate condenser 10 is folded in a substantially spiral configuration. However, an additional plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 20 are mounted on the thermally conductive plate 14. The serpentine tube 12, which is preferably formed from a thermally conductive material, the thermally conductive plate 14, and the additional thermally conductive cooling fins 20 each effect heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid and the external environment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, each of the thermally conductive cooling fins 20 is mounted on the thermally conductive plate 14 between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube 12. Additionally, the plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 20 are divided into a plurality of linearly extending rows 22 of the thermally conductive cooling fins 20.

In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 4, the compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins 30 also includes a serpentine tube 32 mounted on a thermally conductive plate 34, similar to the previous embodiment, and also including opposed inlet and outlet ports 36, 38 for respectively receiving and outputting the refrigerant fluid. Also similar to the previous embodiment, the compact tube and plate condenser 30 is folded in a substantially spiral configuration and includes an additional plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 40 mounted on the thermally conductive plate 34. As in the previous embodiment, the thermally conductive cooling fins 40 are mounted on the thermally conductive plate 34 between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube 32, and the plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 40 are divided into a plurality of linearly extending rows 42 of the thermally conductive cooling fins 40. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, additional slots 44 are formed between at least a portion of adjacent ones of the thermally conductive cooling fins 40, allowing for further convective heat transfer with the external environment.

The further alternative embodiment of FIG. 5 is drawn to a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins 50 having a serpentine tube 52 mounted on a thermally conductive plate 54, similar to the previous embodiments, and also including opposed inlet and outlet ports 56, 58 for respectively receiving and outputting the refrigerant fluid. Also similar to the previous embodiments, the compact tube and plate condenser 50 is folded in a substantially spiral configuration and includes an additional plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 60 mounted on the thermally conductive plate 54. In the previous embodiments, the thermally conductive cooling fins each are shown as having a substantially rectangular configuration. It should be understood that the particular shape of the cooling fins may be varied. In FIG. 5, the thermally conductive cooling fins 60 are each shown as having a substantially tapered and arcuate configuration on their ends. It should be understood that the configuration of the cooling fins 60 is shown for exemplary purposes only.

In the previous embodiments, the cooling fins were each mounted between adjacent segments of the serpentine coil. However, it should be noted that in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the cooling fins 60 each both extend between adjacent segments of the serpentine coil 52 and also at least partially cover the adjacent segments of the serpentine coil 52, thus enhancing thermal transfer via conduction between the serpentine coil 52 and the plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 60.

Additionally, in the previous embodiments, the plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins are divided into a plurality of linearly extending rows of the thermally conductive cooling fins. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, as shown, the thermally conductive cooling fins 60 are arranged to form an alternating, or zig-zag, pattern on the thermally conductive plate 54.

In the additional alternative embodiment of FIG. 6, the compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins 70 includes a serpentine tube 72 mounted on a thermally conductive plate 74, similar to the previous embodiments, with opposed inlet and outlet ports 76, 78 for respectively receiving and outputting the refrigerant fluid. Also similar to the previous embodiments, the compact tube and plate condenser 70 is folded in a substantially spiral configuration and includes an additional plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 80 mounted on the thermally conductive plate 74. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the thermally conductive cooling fins 80 are arranged in an alternating, or zig-zag, manner on thermally conductive plate 74, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5, and also including a plurality of slots 84 formed in the plate 74 between at least a portion of adjacent ones of the thermally conductive cooling fins 80, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4. It should be understood that the various features of each embodiment described above and below may be combined together, as with the embodiment of FIG. 6 combining features of the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5.

The further alternative embodiment of FIG. 7 is directed towards a compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins 90 having a serpentine tube 92 mounted on a thermally conductive plate 94, similar to the previous embodiments, with opposed inlet and outlet ports 96, 98 for respectively receiving and outputting the refrigerant fluid. Also similar to the previous embodiments, the compact tube and plate condenser 90 is folded in a substantially spiral configuration and includes an additional plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 102 mounted on the thermally conductive plate 94. However, as shown, rather than only extending between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube 92, as in the previous embodiments, each of the thermally conductive cooling fins 102 extends between the adjacent segments and also fully covers at least a portion of the adjacent segments, thus causing the cooling fins 102 to be in conductive thermal communication with both the serpentine tube 92 and the thermally conductive plate 94.

The additional alternative embodiment of FIG. 8 is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 7. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins 120 includes a serpentine tube 122 mounted on a thermally conductive plate 124, and has opposed inlet and outlet ports 126, 128 for respectively receiving and outputting the refrigerant fluid. Also similar to the previous embodiments, the compact tube and plate condenser 120 is folded in a substantially spiral configuration and includes an additional plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins 130 mounted on the thermally conductive plate 124. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the cooling fins extend continuously across the width of the thermally conductive plate, making contact with both the thermally conductive plate and segments of the serpentine tube. However, as shown in FIG. 8, the cooling fins 130 are spaced apart from one another across the width of plate 124, thus causing each cooling fin 130 to only partially extend between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube 122. As shown, this creates an additional air path for convective heat transfer with the external environment. Here, the thermally conductive cooling fins 130 are divided into a plurality of linearly extending rows 132, similar to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

We claim:
 1. A compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins, comprising: a tube and plate condenser having a serpentine tube mounted on a thermally conductive plate, the serpentine tube having opposed inlet and outlet ports for respectively receiving and outputting a refrigerant fluid, the tube and plate condenser being folded in a substantially spiral configuration, whereby the serpentine tube and the thermally conductive plate effect heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid and an external environment; and a plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins mounted on the thermally conductive plate.
 2. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said thermally conductive cooling fins is mounted on the thermally conductive plate between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube.
 3. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 2, wherein said plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins is divided into a plurality of linearly extending rows of the thermally conductive cooling fins.
 4. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 3, wherein said plate has a plurality of slots formed therein between at least a portion of adjacent ones of said thermally conductive cooling fins.
 5. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 2, wherein said plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins is divided into a plurality of rows of the thermally conductive cooling fins, wherein each said row comprises a plurality of alternating ones of the thermally conductive cooling fins.
 6. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 5, wherein said plate has a plurality of slots formed therein between at least a portion of adjacent ones of said thermally conductive cooling fins.
 7. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said thermally conductive cooling fins is mounted on the thermally conductive plate extending between and at least partially covering adjacent segments of the serpentine tube.
 8. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said thermally conductive cooling fins is mounted on the thermally conductive plate and is in thermal communication with both the thermally conductive plate and the serpentine tube.
 9. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 8, wherein each of said thermally conductive cooling fins is mounted on the thermally conductive plate partially extending between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube.
 10. A compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins, comprising: a tube and plate condenser comprising a serpentine tube mounted on a thermally conductive plate, the serpentine tube having opposed inlet and outlet ports for respectively receiving and outputting a refrigerant fluid, the tube and plate condenser being folded in a substantially spiral configuration, whereby the serpentine tube and the thermally conductive plate effect heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid and an external environment; and a plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins mounted on the thermally conductive plate, the plate having a plurality of slots formed therein between at least a portion of adjacent ones of the thermally conductive cooling fins.
 11. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said thermally conductive cooling fins is mounted on the thermally conductive plate between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube.
 12. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 11, wherein said plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins is divided into a plurality of linearly extending rows of the thermally conductive cooling fins.
 13. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 11, wherein said plurality of thermally conductive cooling fins is divided into a plurality of rows of the thermally conductive cooling fins, wherein each said row comprises a plurality of alternating ones of the thermally conductive cooling fins.
 14. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 13, wherein said plate has a plurality of slots formed therein between at least a portion of adjacent ones of said thermally conductive cooling fins.
 15. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 12, wherein each of said thermally conductive cooling fins is mounted on the thermally conductive plate extending between and at least partially covering adjacent segments of the serpentine tube.
 16. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 12, wherein each of said thermally conductive cooling fins is mounted on the thermally conductive plate and is in thermal communication with both the thermally conductive plate and the serpentine tube.
 17. The compact tube and plate condenser with cooling fins as recited in claim 16, wherein each of said thermally conductive cooling fins is mounted on the thermally conductive plate partially extending between adjacent segments of the serpentine tube. 